Thera 1.73: Manava
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(73):Manava Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =73. Māṇava= He was reborn in this Buddha-age at Sāvatthi, in the house of a brahmin(priest) grandee. For seven years he was reared within the precincts of home, and when at seven years old he was taken out on the estate, he saw an aged person, a diseased person, and a corpse for the first time. When he was told about these things, he was filled with dread, went to the Vihāra(monastery), heard the doctrine, and gained his parents' consent to enter the Monk’s order. Upon that he won insight and arahantship(enlightenment). Him thus having arrived because of that the Monks asked: 'How is it you were stirred to come forth at so tender an age?' He upon that, confessing aññā(supreme attainment), signalized his going forth in this verse: ---- 73 Jiṇṇaɱ ca disvā dukhitaɱ ca byādhitaɱ|| Mataɱ ca disvā gatamāyusaŋkhayaɱ|| Tato ahaɱ nikkhamitūna pabbajiɱ|| Pahāya kāmāni manoramānī' ti.|| || ---- 73 I saw an aged one, and one afflicted with disease, And then I saw one dead, with all his span of life consumed. From there I forth going left the world to live the other life(of monk), And from me put away the enticing sweets of sense-desire. ---- Now, because he left the world(for monkhood) while so young, the Thera was always called Boy (Māṇava).1 ---- 1 One is tempted to see here no individual sharing the experiences of the Buddha, but a type of the earnest youthful religious mind gripped by life's realities. ---- =1.8-373 Commentary on the stanza of Mānavatthera= The stanza starting with Jinnañ ca disvā dukhitañ byadhitaṃ constitues that of the venerable Thera Mānava. What is the origin? This one also having done devoted service toward former buddhas, accumulating good deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths in this and that existence, was reborn in a brahimn family ninety one aeons (kappa) ago from now, became an interpreter of bodily marks (lakkhanadhara), examined (pariggahetvā) the bodily signs of the Glorius One Vipassī as characteristic of specially high birth (abhijāti) proclaimed the foreboding signs (pubbanimittāni sāvetvā), foretold thus:– “Definitely, this son will become Buddha,” made his praise in many a manner, paid his homage, did his circumambulation and took his departure. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths but in excellent existences and was reborn in a brahmin family of abundant wealth and prosperity in Sāvatthi, when this Buddha arose. As long as it was seven years, till then, he grew up but inside his house, and in the seventh year, he was led to the garden for the purpose of subsumption (upanayana), saw on the way an aged, a sick and a dead and because he had never seen them before, he asked the people round him (parijana), heard about the nature of old age, ailment and death, became remorseful (sañjātasaṃvego), did not turn back from there, but proceeded to the monastery, listened to the teaching of truth (dhamma) in the presence of the Master, made his parents give permission, become a monk, placed himsef in the path of developing spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship but before long. Hence has it been said in Apadāna.-- “When Vipassī was born I foretold the signs (nimitt byākariṃ). He will become Buddha in the world sending the multitude of creatures to nibbāna. That Blessed One, the Master, at whose birth the ten thousand universes (cakkvāḷa) shook, the possessor of eye (cakkumā) teaches the truth (dhamma) now. That Blessed One, the Master and possessor of eye (cakkhumā) at whose birth there was abundant shining light, is now teaching the truth (dhamma). That Blessed One, the Master and possessor of insight (cakkhumā) at whose birth, rivers (saritā) did not flow (sandayuṃ), is now teaching the truth (dhamma). That Blessed One, the Master and possessor of vision (cakkhumā), at whose birth, the fire of purgatory (avīci) was not ablaze (pajjali) is now teaching the truth (dhamma). The Blessed One, the Master and possessor of eye (cakkhumā), at whose Birht swarms of winged creatures (pak- khiSaṅgha) did not fly about, is now teaching the truth (dhamma). That Blessed One, the Master and possessor of eye (cakkhumā), at whose birth the mass of wind did not blow, is now teaching the truth (dhamma). That Blessed One, the Master, and the possessor of eye (cakkhumā), at whose birth all gems glittered, is now teaching the truth (dhamma). That Blessed One, the Master, and possessor of eye (cakkhumā), at whose birth, living creatures became strong legged (padavikkama), is now teaching dhamma. Self-awakened Buddha just after His birth looks about in all directions. He speaks (udīreti) the lordly (āsabhiṃ) word (vācā). This is the nature of Buddhas. After having made the multitude of men remorseful, and having specially praised Buddha, I paid my homage to the self- awakeded Buddha and took my departure in the direction of the east. It was ninetyone eaons (kappa) ago, that I made my special praise of Buddha. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my praise. Ninety aeons (kappa) ago, a world-king of great strength, called Sammukhāthavika, was endowed with seven gems. Eightynine aeons (kappa) ago, a world-king of great strength, named Pathavādundubhi was endowed with seven gems. Eightyeight aeons (kappa) ago, a princely warrior (khattiya) named Obhāsa became a very strong world-king, endowed with seven gems. Eighty seven aeons (kappa) ago, a very strong world-king, called Saritaccha, was endowed with seven gems. Eithty six aeons (kappa) ago, a very strong world King named Agginibbāpana was endowed with seven gems. Eithtyfive aeons (kappa) ago, a very strong world-king, named Gatipacchedana, was en- dowed with seven gems. Eightyfour aeons (kappa) ago, a very strong world-king, named Vātasama, was endowed with seven gems. Eightythree aeons ago, a very strong world-king, named Ratanapajjala was endowed with seven gems. Eighty two aeons ago, a very strong world-king, named Padavikkamana, was endowed with seven gems. Eightyone aeons (kappa) ago, a very strong world-king named Vilokana, was endowed with seven gems. Eighty aeons (kappa) ago, a very strong world-king of Khattiya clan, named Girassara, was endowed with seven gems. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having attained Arahantship; however, he uttered a stanza, making manifest his Arahantship, indicating the announcement of his own sign (nimitta) of monkhood, on being asked by bhikkhus(monks) thus:– “Friend! Owing to what (sort of) remorse, have you become a monk inspite of your being but extremely young?” 73. ”Having seen the aged, ailment- afflicated (dukhita) and having seen also the dead, with life span gone well-exhausted (āyusaṅkhaya), I made my re- nunciation consequent upon that and became a monk, after having abandoned delilghtful sensual pleasures.” There, Junnaṃ means having been overwhelmed by old age; has become possessed of such a state as broken teeth, greyness of hair, wrinkled skin and so on. Dukhitaṃ means having got afflicted with pain (dukkha). Byādhitaṃ means ailment (gilāna). Here, again, although it has been stated as “byādhitaṃ (afflicted with disease),” the state of getting pain (dukkhapattabhavo) is its end (siddho); the word “dukhitaṃ (got afflicted with pain), is for the purpose of thoroughly bringing to light (dīpana) the state of severe sickness. Mataṃ means death (kālaṅkata); since death is known as the state of having gone exhausted, destroyed and broken of life (āyu), therefore, it has been stated as: “gatamāyusaṅkhayaṃ,” which is to be construed thus:– Therfore, because of having seen old age, disease and death, resulting in my remorse:– “These such states as old age and so on are not for these people even, on the other hand, they are common to all; therefore, I also cannot overcome old age, etc.” Nikkhamitūna means: having renounced; alternatively this nikkhamitvā is but the reading (pāṭha); having gone out from the house with the significance of becoming a monk. Pabbajiṃ means had approsched monkhood in the dispensation of the Master. Pahāya kāmāni manoramāni means:– Because of such a state as being agreeable, lovely, and so on, the mind of those who are not devoid of lust (rāga) makes itself delilghted thus, having discarded materisl sensual pleasures (vatthukāma) enjoyable to the mind, having cast off, without the condition of looking for, on account of having well cut off that aptly bound lustful desire (chandarāga) by means of the holy noble path (ariyamagga); thus, is the meaning. In the face of announcing the forsaking of sensual pleasures, theis also became the making manifest (byākaranaṃ) of the Thera’s Arahantship (aññā). Because he became a monk at the time of his youth, the designation of this Thera became but Mānava. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Mānava is complete. ----